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2007年7月22日星期日

Renault would be happy to have Fernando Alonso back at the wheel of an Enstone-built car. Engineering director Pat Symonds, instrumental in the Spaniard's back to back titles in 2005 and 2006, refuses to rule out a scenario where Alonso returns to the French squad.

"I bet he's glad he's not with us this year since we haven't come up with a car he'd want to drive," the Briton told the magazine F1 Racing.

"He is a damn good driver though and we'd happily have him back."

Symonds thinks Alonso, 25, might have decided to switch to McLaren primarily because of the speculation at the time about Renault's future in formula one.

"They were strong rumours so I absolutely don't criticise him for taking the decision to leave," he said.

But he added that "I know engineers who have left us to join other teams who have then come back saying it wasn't quite what they thought it would be."

Alonso to leave McLaren if team found guilty

Fernando Alonso could choose to leave McLaren if the Mercedes-powered team is penalised by the FIA next Thursday. A clause in the Spaniard's three-year contract allows the agreement to be broken if his reputation or image is damaged through an action of the team, according to the newspaper Diario As.

Ron Dennis-led McLaren faces an extraordinary hearing of the World Motor Sport Council next week for, regarding the Stepney-gate spy scandal, allegedly breaching Article 151c of the International Sporting Code.

The Article relates to "any fraudulent conduct or any act prejudicial to the interests of any competition or to the interests of motor sport generally", allowing the FIA to apply penalties ranging from fines to disqualification.

Piquet enters frame for Spyker seat

Multiple drivers could fill axed Spyker racer Christijan Albers' seat for the remaining seven races in 2007.That is the latest admission of the Dutch team's boss Colin Kolles, as speculation at the Nurburgring suggests for the first time that Renault test driver Nelson Piquet Jr - managed by Flavio Briatore - could have now entered the frame.

The son of triple world champion Nelson Piquet is competing principally with Christian Klien and Narain Karthikeyan for the drive, with Kolles telling the news agency Sport-Informations-Dienst (sid) that Spyker will select drivers who can contribute financially to the team.

"A formula one team does not live on air," he said.

Kolles said teammates for Spyker regular Adrian Sutil could even be assigned on a race-by-race basis.

"However continuity would of course be better," he acknowledged.

Underfinanced current substitute driver, the debutant Markus Winkelhock, ended Friday of the European grand prix slowest of all and - in the afternoon practice session - beached in the gravel.

Piquet has 'chance' for Renault seat - Briatore

Nelson Piquet Jr could find his way onto the formula one grid next year with Renault. The German specialist magazine Auto Motor und Sport quotes the team's boss and Piquet's manager, Flavio Briatore, as confirming the possibility of a different race lineup for the 2008 season.

"He has a good chance to sit in the car next year," Briatore said, referring to test driver Piquet, the son of Brazil's triple world champion in the 80s.

Auto Motor und Sport said veteran Giancarlo Fisichella's contract runs out at the end of the year, making him the more likely of the current pairing - also featuring rookie Finn Heikki Kovalainen - to make way for the 21-year-old.

Piquet, meanwhile, is reportedly scheduled to drive on at least two of the three days at the upcoming Jerez test.

赛场之外

F1's Bernie preparing Arsenal bid (UPDATE)

Bernie Ecclestone at the Nurburgring refused to deny reports that he is preparing a bid to buy the famous north London football club Arsenal. According to the Daily Mirror, F1's chief executive is locked in a battle with rival bidder Stan Kroenke, an American, who is apparently prepared to spend more than (US) $1.3 billion for the club known as the Gunners.

"It's good if somebody is saying that, because maybe I will be approached and maybe it will be cheap," Bernie told Reuters on Saturday.

The Mirror reported that Arsenal officials might be happier with a British owner, and a source said of 76-year-old Ecclestone's rival bid: "It's more than just a spectator's interest."

Another insider added: "When Bernie does something he does it properly."

Ecclestone revealed two years ago that, with Renault boss and friend Flavio Briatore, he made a failed bid for the Chelsea football club.

Bernie said the pair "had the money" before fellow billionaire Roman Abramovich rolled into town.

And, referring to the fact that he often attends Chelsea games, he commented on Saturday: "Look at what a problem I'd be in with Chelsea if I bought Arsenal."